Eggplant With Tempeh In Coconut Milk

The original tempeh from Indonesia has a great base flavor that can be combined with any vegetable to enhance its delicious taste. So, let's combine tempeh with eggplant.

Do you agree that the problem of taste sometimes comes suddenly? Like this time, I suddenly wanted to cook eggplant in coconut milk style.

When I was walking around the morning market, then I saw an eggplant seller. This is not the type of purple eggplant that I usually cook. This is a type of large round eggplant that is usually cooked in coconut style.

I imagined how creamy eggplant cooked in coconut milk with the addition of tempeh in other types of vegetables would be. Well, this type of round eggplant does have creamier flesh compared to purple eggplant in general. Meanwhile, purple eggplant is more suitable to be cooked in a stir-fried style.

I also imagined the aroma that oh so delicious and great! The aroma of gravy that comes from two of my favorite herbs. Bay leaves and kaffir lime leaves. These two herbs can enhance the aroma that will boost the overall taste of the food, and I have told you this many times.

So, for today's recipe I will share about round eggplant that I cooked in coconut milk way. Also with a combination of tempeh, also with carrot. You can add other types of vegetables such as peas, or even mushrooms.

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THE INGREDIENTS

• 2 round eggplants-types or about 500 grams
• 100 grams of tempeh, cut into pieces
• 1 carrot, about 100 grams

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Seasoning

• 3 cloves of garlic, sliced ​​
• 5 small cloves of shallots, sliced
• (optional) chilies
• 3 bay leaves
• 3 kaffir lime leaves
• a thumb-size of ginger, flattened
• 1 tsp of salt - 1/2 tsp of pepper powder
• 1/2 tsp of coriander powder
• sprinkle of salt to balance the taste
• 1 cup of water
• 1 cup of coconut milk

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COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare The Ingredients

First, prepare a large bowl filled with water. Then cut the eggplant into eggplant wedges. Then soak the eggplant pieces to prevent them from turning brown.

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Also, cut vegetables. Here, I cut the carrots into beautiful flower pieces.

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Cut tempeh into pieces. According to your taste. You can also use cube sizes.

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Stir-frying The Seasoning

Heat a little oil using low heat. Then, add garlic, shallots, also flattened ginger, bay leaves and also kaffir lime leaves. Stir-fry them until they become so goood in smell!

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After the seasoning becomes fragrant, then add chili pieces if you use them, also salt, coriander powder, pepper powder, also sprinkle sugar. Stir for a while.

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Cooking Eggplant and Tempeh

Add eggplant, tempeh, also carrot. Keep stirring them for a while until they are evenly mixed with the seasoning. Then, add 1 cup of water.

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Cook them with a covered pan over medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes.

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After five minutes, add coconut milk, and cook for another 3 minutes or according to your taste until the eggplant has the texture you want.

Here, the texture of my eggplant dish looks soft but not broken and the eggplant still has a good shape. So, don't overcook them.

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SERVING

Here, I serve this side dish with rice. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Oh, I can honestly say, this is so evenly! I love how tempeh in coconut milk goes so well with eggplant which is also soft and creamy in the mouth!

I'm not lying and you guys should try this. If you're not an eggplant lover, you can try just a small portion, like one small eggplant. I hope you get some new menu inspiration. :)

Something with coconut milk is also something worth considering exploring in the kitchen, especially now that there are so many instant coconut milk products on the market. :) See you, guys!

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Best Regards,
Anggrek Lestari

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